A new report investigating the strength of US manufacturing and specifically the defense sector has detailed an "unprecedented set of challenges" that have left the entire industrial base "under threat".

Smart factories are set to become a revolutionary force of the manufacturing industry and provide a massive boost to the global economy, according to a new report by multinational information technology consulting company, Capgemini.

A pioneering usage of additive manufacturing to create ‘on-demand’ pieces for repair and replacement in damaged ships has been revealed by the Port of Rotterdam’s Additive Manufacturing Field lab (RAMLAB) in collaboration with Autodesk.

The important role connected technologies play in safeguarding manufacturing resilience has been highlighted with the global predictive maintenance market set to grow exponentially over the next five years.